About

I’m located in a small New Zealand town called Carterton, in what was once our garage & carport.

Although I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t trying to make, create or build something different, it was in 1994 that Leather And Art became a business and my full-time occupation. And so I started fulfilling people’s wants and needs while enjoying my journey in the art and craft of Leather.

My goal is to continue along those two paths in the most amicable way possible. If I can do that, I figure I’ve achieved something and to me that’s really important.

My workshed was created with recycled materials, and has a kind of steampunk look. If I was to be honest, the building is a work in progress, always evolving. This workspace is still called “The Shed”: always has been, always will be. Yes, I still park the motor cycle in the Gallery section. Guess I will always do that as well.

Most of what I do has been self-taught, and I work in relative isolation. This has enabled me to develop my own style and direction, free from the constraints of conformity.

Having said that, I do have a great network with others in the “Leatherworld”, and a huge respect for the tradition and history of Leather and its use as a medium. I have a constant inner drive pushing me to extend the medium and apply my own twist.

I guess my unique style is also the reason that I’ve been lucky enough to receive seven International awards from the seven awards that I have entered. I was also asked to create an aviation helmet for young Prince George, which was presented to William and Kate by Omaka Heritage Aviation Museum. You know sometimes it pays to play your own tune.

This point of difference in my work has led to me being invited to tutor various workshops, some of which were international. To be honest, these workshops are a hoot. It really is a buzz to teach people, just a hell of a lot of fun.

The work created by Leather And Art has been flavoured by a diverse raft of influences. This has made my work eclectic, and a big influence is the passion that both my wife and I have for motorcycles and cars- vintage, classic, custom and hot rods. I also have a serious interest in the art, design, application and culture of tattoo. Along with that, there are a number of art styles and eras that I borrow from.

Early on I realised there was no point in competing with cheap mass-produced goods. It is often said “buying cheap is a false economy”. That’s why my focus is on crafting superb quality work by hand, using the best and most suitable materials I can source. It’s not to say that my work is priced high, but it is to say it is priced to be fair!